


Started with a Selca

by StardustRainbow



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Minayeon, cluelessminayeon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:14:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29947071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StardustRainbow/pseuds/StardustRainbow
Summary: Forced to attend a family gathering Mina lies to her mother about being in a relationship. Chaos ensues.
Relationships: Im Nayeon/Myoui Mina
Comments: 9
Kudos: 143





	1. Chapter 1

It all started with a lot of shouldn't haves and a selca. 

Mina shouldn't have let her mother's pestering about her non existent love-life get to her. She shouldn't have remembered how she tried to set up with a different woman every time she went to a family gathering. She shouldn't have lied to her own mother about seeing someone for a few months. But the one thing that she shouldn't have done at all was to ignore Nayeon after the concert. 

It wasn't intentional. It wasn't her fault the bunny couldn't stay still in one place, so by the time she'd taken selfie with others and found her again the older girl had changed out of her outfit for the day. 

The fact that she didn't take a selfie with Nayeon shouldn't have been noticed by Onces. They shouldn't have been all over social media whining for a Minayeon selca. It shouldn't have irked Nayeon so much she decided to barge into her dorm unannounced to demand an explanation why that she was the only member she didn't take a selfie with.

The timing shouldn't have been this bad. Her mother shouldn't have chosen that exact moment to ask who she was seeing. Mina shouldn't have been startled by the unexpected guest and asked, "Nayeon-chan?" to the pouting girl. 

Her mother shouldn't have assumed she was seeing Nayeon. She shouldn't have squealed happily and said, "Always knew there was something between the two of you. I'll see you both at the party then." She shouldn't have disconnected the call right after that. 

Mina shouldn't have stood there imitating a fish instead of calling her back immediately and clarifying the miscommunication. But it had all happened and now she was sat in the chaotic Namosa dorm trying to find a solution to this unexpected problem with the other members. 

"It could have been worse." Sana tried to inject some enthusiasm into the moody girl who was stubbornly refusing to meet Nayeon's apologetic eyes on her. "You could have flown there by yourself and she'd have set you up with another woman." 

Mina shuddered to think about it. The last woman her mother pitched as Miss Right talked about herself all night and ended up groping her arse. 

Jeongyeon stretched her legs out on the couch and laid her head on Jihyo's shoulder, "Besides it's just for three days. You can tell her you broke up after you return." 

Nayeon lifted a hand in question, "Excuse me? Don't I get a say in this?" Mina liked the older girl, she really did but there were times she wanted to shove things down her throat so she would stop talking. Like now.

Momo chuckled, "Nayeon-chan you're partly responsible for this situation. So no you don't."

Nayeon's shoulder slumped defeatedly. 

"Let's get the training started then. Shall we?" Chaeyoung proposed to the quiet pair, throwing her notepad to the side. 

Step 1 : Body language

"The key is to act like you're in love." Chaeyoung, the love guru declared, "Little touches, affectionate hugs, side glances, flirty smiles. You see where I'm going?" 

Both of them stared at her blankly. 

A while later Momo who was at her wit's ends plopped down on one of the chairs carelessly strewn across in their dorm and lamented, "Your mother is going to call your bluff if you both acted like you'd burn if you so much as stood next to each other."

Dahyun nodded her head in agreement. They'd asked them to hug, but they'd hovered around each other instead, with at-least an inch of gap produced miraculously between their bodies. She'd never even known two people could hug like that.

"There's just a week left for the party." Tzuyu flickered her eyes from Mina to Nayeon who were now standing apart from each other with some space for an invisible tenth member, "There's so much work to be done." 

Step 2 : Look like you're in love

"Now that the easy part is done. Let's get on with the tough part." Jihyo resumed, sneaking a look at the paper in Chaeyoung's hand. 

Mina dreaded to ask what the hard part could be as she pulled away from Nayeon's arms, out of a proper hug they had been forced into by the other members. This was already difficult enough. 

"Kissing."

The colour drained from Nayeon's face. Mina flushed brightly. 

"I'm not kissing in front of you perverts." Nayeon attempted to stomp out of the room, "Go fap to pornhub or something."

Sana tugged her back into the room by her collar, "Nice try Nayeon-chan." She admitted, "But you're not getting out of this."

Tzuyu thrusted Nayeon towards Mina and rolled her eyes when they still managed to stop at a respectable distance from each other. "Now kiss." 

"Close your eyes." Nayeon glowered at the members who were eagerly waiting to see how the scene was going to unfold. 

"We won't." Jihyo chortled, "Neither will the guests at the party." 

"Fine." She huffed and leaned down to the younger girl who tensed where she stood and murmured, "On the count of three we run." 

A smack sounded across the room a second later. "Oww Chaeyoungah. You're hurting my head." 

Chaeyoung sighed, "So are you." She replied, but pecked the spot she hit when the older girl continued to pout. "It's not like you haven't kissed her before." 

"That was once." Nayeon immediately defended herself, turning her face away from Mina to stare at Chaeyoung. "As a joke!!"

"Why don't we go to Step 3 and revisit Step 2 later?" Dahyun suggested. She figured there was no point forcing two stubborn people like themselves into something they didn't want. Nayeon would find a way to get out of this entire fake relationship and Mina would willingly let her. 

Step 3: Flirting 

"Why don't you start off by complimenting each other?" Chaeyoung advised, seeing they were both struggling to get the ball rolling. "Mina your turn first." 

Mina took a deep breath as if she was drawing every ounce of confidence she had left and met dark eyes that looked as unsure and hesitant as she felt. 

"You look," She paused, dipping her eyes from Nayeon's face down to her feet covered in converse shoes, "Uhmm good?" She concluded, although good wasn't the first word that came to her mind. 

Dressed in an oversized white Naruto T-shirt, black shorts, her short hair bouncing around her face as she shuffled restlessly on her feet, Nayeon looked like a child. 

Her full lips quirked up the tiniest bit at the half compliment. 

An adorable child. Mina thought. 

A toothy grin flashed across her face. 

An adorable child you'd want to pick up and put in your pocket. She corrected herself. 

"Thank you." The twinkle in the dark eyes became more prominent. 

An adorable child you'd want to pick up, put in your pocket and carry home. Mina decided. 

"I know." She winked with both eyes and her smile widened.

An adorable child you'd want to pick up, put in your pocket, carry home and teach some basic manners. Mina made up her mind.

"You know you're better off with some grabby hands your mother is going to set you up with." Jihyo gave up, throwing her hands up in the air in surrender. 

Nayeon's mouth dropped open. 

"To be honest, Nayeon-chan has grabby hands too." Sana added insult to the injury, "She's always touching Dahyun's butt." 

"I won't do that to Mina." Nayeon exclaimed resting her hands on her hip, "Besides it's not my fault Dahyun has an irresistible butt."

Mina looked borderline offended, "Are you saying mine is resistible?" 

Nayeon gaped at the younger girl. "That's not what I meant." 

"That's totally what you meant." Jeongyeon shouted from across the room, ignoring the pointed glare she received in return.

Nayeon cocked her head towards Mina, "Don't listen to them." She scratched the back of her neck nervously, "You have a nice butt."

"Nice is not a very convincing adjective Nayeon-chan." Mina crossed her arms over her chest. 

"A lovely butt?" Nayeon tried again because she'd never want to hurt the younger girl, not even unintentionally. 

Mina's brow lifted. 

"A lovely butt I'd totally grab?" 

Mina relented a little. 

Chaeyoung didn't bother to interrupt their roundabout, regressed, I-pay-my-therapist-a-lot-of-money-for-being-unable-to-express-my-emotions-properly flirting they were doing. At least they were flirting. 

Step 4 : Saranghae 

"It's just three words. Say it." Jeongyeon dangled Nayeon's favorite bag of jelly above the bin, threatening to drop it if she didn't. They'd been trying unsuccessfully for ten minutes to get Nayeon to say it that they've finally resorted to blackmail. 

Another loud smack was heard across the room. This time it was Jihyo. "If you keep saying I love you to her feet, her family is going to think you have a fetish." 

Nayeon rubbed her abused arm and gave it a try again. "I love you." She met Mina's eyes and said mechanically. 

Tzuyu snorted, "Mina stop blushing. They're never going to believe you've been seeing each other for a few months." 

"And Nayeon-chan please put some emotion into your I love you. You're not ordering takeout." Momo pleaded. She'd seen Nayeon put more passion into that than the I love you she'd just thrown. 

Nayeon blew out her cheeks. She didn't like being less than perfect at anything and having the members constantly criticizing her was taking its toll on her. She took a deep breath, channeled her inner actress and looked into the warm brown eyes before hers. "I love you." She rolled it out of her tongue, her eyes softening around the edges, tone low and affectionate.

"Oh my god what's with the blushing?" Dahyun asked impatiently. 

Nayeon gave Mina a chuffed grin, glad that she wasn't the one who fucked it up, "Yay Minayah!! What's with the blushing?" 

Dahyun glared at Nayeon, "I was talking to you Nayeonnie." 

That shut Nayeon up. 

"Let's just skip to Step 5. Shall we?"Chaeyoung asked with an amused shake of her head. 

Step 5 : Eye contact 

"The trick is to make everyone believe that you're in love. Your love language could be anything , through your eyes, through your-" 

Nayeon lifted a hand and cut Sana off. "I've got this." She insisted with a bout of confidence that Mina was certainly not feeling. 

"Okay now just look into each other's eyes." Sana sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

Nayeon thought this was cakewalk. Sana knew this was going to end in a disaster. 

Four minutes later the girls in the room were playing eye ping pong as their gaze travelled back and forth between Nayeon and Mina. 

If Nayeon looked at Mina, she'd casually avert her eyes and if Mina dared to look at Nayeon she'd find something interesting on the wall to stare at. 

Five minutes later their eyes accidentally met, and they both immediately looked away awkwardly. 

"Should we tell them they're trying for girlfriends, not exes?" Momo whispered to Sana. 

"Let them be." Dahyun silenced them both, "This is oddly fascinating. It's like watching a train wreck happen." 

A week later, after some more training in between their schedules, Nayeon and Mina were being smothered in a hug from all the members. 

"Please take care of her." Jihyo begged as she helped the last of their bags into the waiting taxi. 

Nayeon nodded. She was the oldest unnie after all. It was her job to take care of the younger ones, make them feel safe, protected and it really touched her to know that Jihyo believed in her- 

"Put her on a leash if you have to." Wait, Nayeon scrunched her nose in confusion, why was Jihyo pointing at her? "But don't let her out of your eyesight." 

Mina gave Jihyo's hand a reassuring squeeze, "Don't worry. I'll bring Nayeon-chan back in one piece." 

Nayeon stared at the pair of them in disbelief. She had enough of people treating her like she was three. So she told Mina the same and gave her the cold shoulder until they got onto the plane. 

Mina wasn't bothered, Nayeon wasn't the kind to hold on to a grudge for too long, besides it wasn't like she was big on making conversations. It was really a win win situation for both of them. 

When Nayeon began fumbling through her backpack, and jutted her lower lip out, whining to Mina that she couldn't find her bag of jelly, forgetting that she was supposed to be mad at her, the younger girl didn't resist the urge to quip, "Someone said they weren't three." 

Five minutes later Mina decided she had tortured Nayeon long enough and pulled out a bag of jelly she had packed for the older girl as an emergency stash. She pretended that the grin she saw splitting the older girl's face as she eyed the bag didn't warm her heart at all. Not even in the slightest. 

Thirty minutes later she wondered how one could go from finding someone endearing to insufferable. She raised her voice slightly making the older girl flinch, "Nayeon-chan, I know you're bored but I honestly have no idea why clown fish are called that when they don't work in a circus." 

Nayeon slumped down on her seat, crossing her arms across her chest and began to inspect her fingernails. Mina didn't care, if Nayeon wanted to be childish, then she would let her be. She wasn't her mother. 

When she received a whole ten minutes of silence which was unusual for the talkative girl, Mina let out a soft breath, put her phone down and turned to her side, "Why do you think King cobras are called that when they don't have a crown?" 

The dazzling smile she got in return was enough for her to endure another hour of endless questions. 

Fortunately for her, Nayeon was too busy gawking at passing cars and buildings to badger her with more questions after they got into a taxi at the airport. 

Nayeon was looking out the window, bouncing up and down whenever she spotted something familiar, reminding Mina of an excited little puppy. It made her forget for a while how her heart was beating in her throat. 

When the taxi arrived at her doorstep, all the anxiety came rushing back. It would be odd if she didn't feel anxious in a situation like this. 

"Are you ready?" Nayeon asked by her side, extending her hand towards her. 

Mina nodded her head in answer and accepted the offered hand. 

Thanks to their vigorous training which Chaeyoung had named 'Seven day crash course for those who want to fake a relationship - Designed especially for dummies and Minayeon' they got the basics like handholding down to a T and were able to do it without flinching. 

"Oh my favorite girl is here. Come give Mama a hug." Despite the nerves, Mina's face lighted up in a soft smile when she saw her mother rushing towards them with her arms wide open. 

She pretended to be annoyed when her mother sidestepped her and wrapped Nayeon in a big hug. 

Mina huffed when she released Nayeon after a while, turned to her and said, "Oh my second favorite girl is here as well." but gladly accepted the hug that was given.

"Where's dad?" Mina scanned the empty living room as she walked into her childhood home, "Is he working today?" Her lips turned down in a pout.

Her mother shook her head, walking around the couch to sit next to Nayeon. "He's doing last minute grocery shopping." She clapped her hands excitedly, "We sat all night making a list of Nayeon-tan's favorite food." 

"You shouldn't have." Nayeon leaned against the back of the couch and propped her chin on her hand. "I hate to be a trouble." 

Her mother dismissed her with a wave of her hand and a fond smile. "We wanted to make a good impression on her girlfriend." She gestured to Mina with her thumb. 

"With a face like that, you wouldn't have try hard at making a good impression." Nayeon winked, and Mina watched with awe as a blush rapidly rose on her mother's cheeks.

She wondered if Nayeon remembered that they'd have to fake a breakup after they get back. At this rate, her mother was going to give her blessings for their marriage. Knowing her, she might even book the venue and have the invitations printed. 

"You're a sweet talker." She heard her mother gush, patting Nayeon's cheek affectionately. "When you have babies I hope they're like you." 

Mina buried her face in her hands. Her mother had skipped the wedding and gone straight to babies, and it was all Nayeon's fault. 

As soon as she left them alone to get some drinks, Mina nudged the older girl and mumbled under her breath, "Stop flirting with my mum." 

She got a cheeky smile in return. "I was just being honest." 

Mina stared at her like her bullshit meter was ticking, "Right!" She scoffed.

"Hey!" Nayeon sat straight, taking offense at the implication she was a liar, "You're like the prettiest girl on earth. Of course your mother is going to be pretty too." She pointed out. 

Mina's head dipped with a faint blush to her cheeks. Chaeyoung's training hadn't been in total vain after all, because Nayeon seemed to have aced Step 3. 

"Why don't you both freshen up and get some rest?" Her mother's voice from the entrance to the living room drew her attention. "I'll wake you up when it's time for lunch." 

Mina jumped to her feet, welcoming the respite. Pretending your friend was your girlfriend was exhausting. To be constantly around the said friend was completely nerve wracking. 

"Perfect." She replied. 

Perfect way to be driven to a nervous mess. When her mother said they could retire to their room she thought she meant in plural. She didn't imagine they'd be shown into the same room, her childhood room. Her childhood room that had one bed. A single bed at that.

"I can take the floor." Nayeon offered, as if sensing her discomfort. 

Mina tilted her head to the side to look at the older girl, "You're a guest. You should take the bed." 

Nayeon shrugged her shoulder as she walked further into the room, scanning the posters and images on the wall. "It's fine. You need your beauty sleep." 

"And you won't?" Mina implored. 

"I'd be beautiful no matter what." Nayeon grinned. 

That thing about Nayeon acing Step 3? Mina took it back swiftly.

It was nearly midday when a knock sounded on the door. In her haste to get to the door Mina completely forgot about the sleeping form on the floor, and stepped on her earning a loud cry from Nayeon. 

"Nayeon-chan," She crouched down to her level to inspect the damage, "I'm so sorry." 

The door flew open. Mina let out a startled gasp when Nayeon wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her down to lay beside her. 

"What are you doing on the floor?" Her mother eyed the pair skeptically. 

"After long journeys I prefer to sleep on the floor." Nayeon answered. 

Mina let out a breath of relief. They would have blown their cover if it wasn't for Nayeon who was a quick thinker, intelligent, admirable- 

"And this one here won't sleep without me so." She dragged her closer, chuckling into the crook of her neck. 

-asshole. 

"Ah to be young and to be in love." Her mother said in a wistful tone, "Come down for lunch whenever you're ready."

The door shut, and they both pulled apart from each other faster than a lighting bolt on a stormy sky. 

"Can I have some more dessert please okochan?" Nayeon licked the spoon clean and pushed the plate towards her father whose eyes gleamed with delight. 

"You liked it?" He asked cheerfully, "I made it myself!" He said in a hopeful tone, looking at the older girl with round, expectant eyes. 

"I loved it." Nayeon's response widened his dopey smile. 

Mina wondered how Nayeon had a way of turning everyone around her into a swooning, gushing high school kid with a crush. Her energy was scarily contagious. 

She realized with reluctance that her parents were going to be totally disappointed when they breakup- fake breakup, she corrected herself. 

The doorbell ringing dragged her out of her thoughts. Her mother excused herself to answer the door. 

"We need to talk." Mina whispered once she was sure her father was out of earshot. 

Nayeon's eyes twinkled with mirth, "You're breaking up with me already?"

Mina sighed. "Nayeon-chan, can you be serious for one second?"

When Nayeon schooled her face into a mock serious expression, Mina's sigh turned into a soft chuckle.

"Hello Mina." A familiar voice sounded from behind them. 

Mina almost snapped her neck to turn and look at the ghost from the past. Maiko was leaning against the door, her eyes skittering between Nayeon and her. 

"Maiko?" Her stomach churned, "When did you come back from the States?" 

The girl walked to where she was, shoving her hands into the pocket of her jeans, "Yesterday. Will you be here for the party?" She inquired in a hopeful tone. 

"Yes." Mina stuttered as she rose on her feet, "I'm staying for three days." 

"Good." Maiko lifted her shoulders in a lazy shrug that used to drive Mina crazy when she was younger. "I see you brought a member with you!" Her eyes travelled to her side, face twisting in a scowl. 

"Actually," Mina stuttered again. It was not fair how those grey eyes could bring her to a mumbling mess even after all these years. "She's my-" She couldn't even bring herself to say the word. 

"Girlfriend." Nayeon stood up, extending a hand to the tall girl. "and you are?"

"Maiko. Doctor. Harvard graduate. touted to become the youngest billionaire under 30 when I take over the Akura hospitals from my parents ." Maiko replied, ignoring the extended hand. 

Mina felt a slight hint of irritation creeping upon her. Maiko could be from one of the most prestigious families in Japan, but Nayeon was her friend. Someone more important to her than some degree and title about youngest billionaire under 30.

"I'll see you around then?" The grey eyes wandered up and down Mina's body. 

Mina felt her face flush. Unable to form words, she nodded her head in reply. 

Maiko tiptoed out of the room into the garden, shoulder checking Nayeon on the way out as if on accident.

"So who's Miss. Tall dark handsome grey eyes?" Nayeon chuckled looking at Mina's flustered state.

Mina's eyebrows slanted in surprise. Nayeon seemed to have paid no mind to Maiko's rude behavior. That was the thing about Nayeon. For all her loud and brash attitude, she was completely forgiving and endlessly compassionate. 

"Longtime neighbor. Childhood crush. First kiss." She breathed out. 

Nayeon tapped a finger to her chin in thought, "The one that got away huh?!!" 

Mina chuckled softly, "It was just a stupid puppy love. We were only 15." She sat back down at the table, "And she ran away after I kissed her." 

Nayeon mulled over her words for a while. "And then you moved to Korea."

"Yes." Mina let out a soft sigh. She was glad to be a part of Twice, but a part of her still missed having a normal childhood, normal crushes and normal breakups. 

Nayeon leaned back against her chair, head swimming with thoughts. Mina didn't sound like she was over her first love. If she wasn't here, if it wasn't for this situation, maybe they'd have reconnected in these three days. Suddenly, she felt like an intruder. Like a mismatched shoe. Like a penny that ended up in a container meant for pound coins. 

Mina's gaze landed on Nayeon who had a surprisingly pensive look on her face. It troubled her a little. "What's wrong?" 

"It's nothing." Nayeon averted her eyes, running a hand through her hair.

Mina might not spend a lot of time with her but you didn't spend so many years with someone not knowing what every single one of their gestures meant. 

Avoiding eye contact? Check. Running a hand through her hair? Check. Nayeon was upset about something and it upset her too. She promised Jihyo she'd take care of her. It wouldn't do to have her look so lost and defeated on her first day in Japan. 

She reached out for Nayeon's hands and brought it between hers. She held it until she felt some of the tension leaving her body.

Nayeon's eyebrows lifted in question at the uncharacteristic show of affection. It wasn't like they never had them but it was always her who initiated them. 

Mina resisted the urge to pull away when those dark eyes looked at her curiously. Nayeon needed comfort and she wasn't going to stop her shyness from being a considerate friend. 

"Sorry to interrupt your moment." A throat cleared from the doorway, "But your father needs _her_ in the garden." Maiko pointed at Nayeon with a tilt of her head. 

" _Her_ has a name." Mina replied with slight annoyance. 

Nayeon stood up on her feet, releasing her hands from Mina's grasp gently, "I'll be right back."

A silence fell over the room and Mina drummed her fingers on the table as grey eyes regarded her intensely. 

"So what are you doing with someone like her?" Maiko's tone dripped with sarcasm as she leaned against the wall, her eyes traveling up and down Mina's body. 

Mina looked at her pointedly, "What do you mean someone like her?" 

Before she could get an answer a loud crash sounded from the garden followed by Nayeon's yelp. Mina rushed towards the noise, walking past Maiko without a backward glance. She leaned against the door, laying a calming hand to her chest when she saw that Nayeon was safe and sound except for being covered to head to toe with coal dust. 

"I was trying to show Nayeon-tan how to start a barbecue." Her father offered as an explanation sheepishly, "She volunteered to get the coal bag from the outhouse."

He didn't need to elaborate further. Nayoen had a weak leg, she must have stumbled and fallen. 

Mina sauntered down the lawn to come to a stop before the older girl. She began to dust the coal off her clothes and trousers gently. 

She stopped for a second after a while to take a look at Nayeon. Her hair mussed and sticking out in all directions, chest rising and falling with exertion, tip of ears tinged red with a maddening blush, Mina couldn't help but think that Nayeon could melt even the coldest of hearts.

"Oh Nayeon-chan," She said fondly, "What do I do with you?" Her smile blossomed into a full blown hearty laughter when she got a half grin in return, bunny teeth flashing white a stark contrast against her skin covered in dark coal dust. 

Nayeon stared at her oddly with a mix of amusement and slight annoyance as she continued to laugh. "Come let's get you cleaned up." Mina chuckled, dragging the older girl along with her to their room. 

Nayeon followed obediently.

Mina began to dig through the older girl's suitcase absent mindedly, "I'll pick out the clothes for you and lay them on the bed. You have a shower." She rummaged through the belongings looking for an attire suitable for a warm sunny day. 

"I'm sorry I embarrassed you." Mina felt something in her heart clench tightly because Nayeon's voice sounded like it was about to crack. "Everyone's right."

She turned to look at the older girl," About what?"

"That I'm childish." Nayeon shrugged. 

Mina rose to her feet and inched closer to the older girl. "That's exactly why everyone loves you." She stated softly but with enough conviction that it drew a small smile from the older girl.

"You mean it?" Nayeon whispered, eyes searching into hers as if afraid of her answer. 

Mina met her gaze and breathed out, "With my whole heart."

And Mina learnt that evening that the heart was a strange thing. It wanted you to hug a person so tight that you'd squeeze the life out of them one moment and next moment it wanted you to strangle the same person to death. 

It all started with a a simple question. Mina's extended family had popped in to say a quick hi. One of the inquisitive younger cousins had asked Nayeon, "So how did you realize you had feelings for Mina?"

Mina expected her to tell them the backstory they'd agreed upon. The one where Mina had confessed her feelings shyly one day and Nayeon took her out on a date the next. 

Instead, Nayeon played to the audience who were already eating out of her hands. "You see I've never seen her as more than a friend." Her eyes skittered upwards to stare at the ceiling dreamily as if she was actually recalling an incident from the past, "One day I went to her dorm to discuss something with Jihyo." 

Nayeon met Mina's questioning gaze across the room. Mina narrowed her brows indicating her to stick to the story they'd devised. The older girl's eyes danced with playfulness. "The door to her room suddenly opened. And there she was." She gestured towards Mina. 

"She was wearing a flowing white dress. Her silver earrings swung and created a melody of their own with every step she took into the room. Like in all those damned films, everything seemed to slow down when her eyes met mine." Mina glared at the older girl. If Nayeon kept making changes to their plan, one of them were sure to slip up.

"And then boom." Nayoen clapped her hands creating a loud sound that it startled some of the smitten audience. "The magic happened." 

"Boom?" One of the aunties swooned, her eyes glazing over as she imagined the moment. 

"Exactly!" Nayeon grinned, breaking her glance away from Mina. "The earth shook and came to a standstill. Music played in my ears, bells rang over my head and I finally realized that it was her all along. That it had always been her. That the love of my life had been there all along. It took a boom moment to see that."

An uncle sighed, "If I had that boom moment happen to me, I'd have never married your aunt." 

"Ojisan," A cousin yelled, "Obasan is right behind you." The crowd broke into a round of laughter, as the woman stared at the man with hands on her hips. 

"Alright then." Mina's father interrupted trying to avert a family disaster, "We have a party tomorrow. And Nayeon-tan must be really tired. Let's call it a night."

Mina kicked off her heels and sat on the single bed watching Nayeon with amusement, her earlier irritation with her disappearing with each passing second. 

Nayeon's top was stuck between the zipper. 

Frustrated and impatient after unsuccessfully trying to get her top out for five minutes, Nayeon tugged on it harshly with all the strength she could manage and the force sent her tumbling backwards. 

Mina crossed her legs and propped her chin on her hands, regarding the older girl on the floor with a teasing smile.

Nayeon frowned. 

Mina uncrossed her legs, and waddled to where Nayeon was. She stretched out a hand to help the older girl up. "Let me." Her voice barely held back the laughter that turned Nayeon's frown into a pout. 

Mina grabbed the top and tugged the sides out of the trousers carefully. Then she reached for the zipper, trying to pull it down but the front of the top which was stuck between it blocked it from going down. 

Nayeon attempted to help her, her fingers tightening around the zip, careful not to crush Mina's which were holding it already. They probably used a little too much force together making Nayeon stumble backwards again. 

This time she dragged Mina along with her, her hands finding purchase on her delicate shoulders to steady herself. She let out a small 'Fuck!' when her back came into contact with the wall. 

"I'm so sorry." Mina heard her mother's voice at the door. For some reason her mother refused to meet her eyes and her face was flush with embarrassment. "I'll come back later." She stuttered and scrambled out of the room.

Mina's face scrunched with confusion at first. She sweeped a glance at Nayeon, and her eyes widened when she finally realized what had her mother scurrying out the door. 

Nayeon was up against the wall, her hands were on the older girl's zip and she'd just said fuck.

Mina let go off the zip immediately and took several steps back, a mad blush rushing to the tip of her ears. "Oh god." She buried her face in her hands and dropped down on the bed. "This is a nightmare." 

Nayeon's whitened face seemed to echo her sentiment.

Mina laid awake as the clock struck twelve. It would be impossible to go to sleep when there was a human roller on the bed next to you. 

"What's wrong?" She sighed. 

"I don't have space for my arm." Nayeon whined. 

"I could always take the floor." Mina suggested. And have our cover blown, her mind supplied. 

"It's fine." Nayeon murmured. 

About twenty rolls later, Mina had enough. She asked Nayeon to stretch her arm ignoring the protest, "But where would you keep your head?" and when she did she laid her head on the stretched out arm. 

"Better?" Mina turned around to face the wall, her eyes drifting heavy with sleep. 

She didn't get any reply. A soft snore she heard a while later indicated that the older girl had fallen asleep already.


	2. Chapter 2

Mina woke up, confused and disoriented. She blinked, trying to chase the sleep away from her eyes and paid attention to the sudden noise that had startled her.

"Ice cream chillin chilling ice cream chilling." Nayeon was singing in her sleep.

Mina gently unwrapped a warm hand that was thrown against her middle and moved Nayeon to the side. She muffled a laughter behind her hand as she gave her a sweeping glance. The older girl had kicked off the covers in her sleep and was shivering slightly as the cool summer breeze blew into the room through the open window. She recalled the time Nayeon sang Fire because she was feeling hot. She pulled the quilt back over their bodies, making sure Nayeon was covered properly to keep warm and laid back against the bed.

When the older girl's hand wrapped around her waist again, she didn't bother removing it. It was pointless, Nayeon was a cuddle monster. She had survived two years of waking up many mornings completely wrapped up in the older girl's arms when they were roommates. Surviving two days shouldn't be a problem.

"Minayah. Yaaahh. Minayahhhh!!" Someone was shaking her.

"Yah yahh yahh Minayah!!" A voice hollered. "Wake up!"

Mina decided she wouldn't survive two seconds if her ears were going to be butchered with so much squealing energy early in the morning.

She rubbed her eyes, blinking them open to find Nayeon hovering over her with the eagerness and excitement of a kid on a Christmas morning. "What is it?" She grumbled sleepily and rolled around to face the wall.

"Wake up." Nayeon gently grabbed her arm and rolling her back again. Mina stared at the ceiling wondering why the universe was against her, why it couldn't have been Momo or Jeongyeon or any of the other members who walked in while she was lying to her mother instead of this hyperactive bunny.

A sideward glance to the bedside table told her it was six in the morning. She was on a god damn holiday, she wasn't planning on waking up before nine.

"Nayeon-chan," She turned to her side, and buried her face in the pillow, "I want to sleep. Go play in the backyard with Ray or something."

The next time Mina woke up, the sun was on her face and her bed was empty and cold. She stretched languidly and made her way to the bathroom to have a quick shower. When she went downstairs, the house was oddly quiet except for the sound of Ray barking excitedly in the backyard.

She found Nayeon playing fetch with Ray. She was wearing a ripped baggy jeans with a bright yellow hoodie, the smile on her face just as bright. Walking further towards her, Mina asked, "Where is everyone?"

Nayeon grabbed the tennis ball and threw it to a small distance, her eyes shining with childlike glee as Ray chased after it again. "Your parents went out just as I came down." She cocked her head towards Mina, a lopsided smile on her lips. "Some last minute shopping for the party I guess."

"We should head out too." Mina said distractedly, her lips curving up when Ray came to sit by her feet. "Mum sent a text. She wants us to pick up some flowers, get dad's suit from the cleaners and drop something off at auntie's house."

"So hurry up and get dressed." She insisted to the older girl, "We have to be back before lunch."

She walked into the house without waiting for a response and fixed herself a quick breakfast of cereals and coffee. Her eyes skimmed through the texts on her phone, and she replied to the ones from the girls quickly.

After answering all the important texts, she took a sip from her coffee that had already turned cold. She put it down, her face scrunching in disgust at how awful it tasted when cold. She could always pick up another one on the way to the florist.

She heard someone's footsteps behind her. She put her phone down, narrowing her eyes at Nayeon who was still in her jeans and hoodie, "Nayeon-chan, we don't have all day." She crossed her arms, "Please get dressed quickly."

"Mina-" Nayeon shifted from one foot to another and Mina looked at her impatiently. "What?" She let out an exasperated sigh, she really didn't have the time for the older girl's childish behaviour now.

"Nothing." Nayeon rubbed her forehead and gestured to the stairs, "I'll be ready in five minutes."

Twenty minutes later, she locked up the house and took small strides to where Nayeon was leaning against the car, fiddling with the ring on her finger.

Mina took a moment to observe the older girl. Nayeon the ever smiling, constantly rambling idiot was unusually quiet. Her eyes which usually gave away her mood- sparkling when she was happy, twinkling when she was playful, dancing when she was teasing- lacked the shine they always held.

"Ready to go?" Nayeon inquired in a low voice, wrapping her arms around herself.

Mina tensed, realising she had been staring at Nayeon inadvertently for the past few seconds. She got into the car, avoiding the older girl's eyes until their seatbelt clicked into its rightful place.

Nayeon looked out the window as Mina drove the car to their first destination. "Do you think you can stop here?" She asked after few minutes.

Mina replied without taking her eyes off the road, "We really don't have the time." For whatever goofy thing you want to do, she left it unsaid.

"Okay." Nayeon slumped back in her seat, staring out the window again.

Mina pulled the car to a side, because something about the tone of her voice troubled her. "What is it?" She turned to look at the older girl who avoided her gaze.

Nayeon shrugged her shoulders, pointing at a McDonald's behind them. "I just wanted to pick something up to eat." She said in a small voice, "We can do it later, I know we don't have time."

Mina's heart broke inside her chest. "You didn't have breakfast yet?"

She looked at Nayeon whose face looked soft, calm except for the smallest wrinkle between her eyebrows.

"I didn't know who to ask."

Mina ached all over. Nayeon had woken her up because she was hungry. She had come to her, the only person who could make her feel less of a stranger, the only person she was comfortable asking and she had cruelly ignored it.

A strangled feeling crept up her chest, she knew first hand how difficult it was to be in a place where you felt like you didn't belong, to be in a place that you didn't call home, to be an outsider. Despite all that, she had been oblivious to the older girl's struggles. She had left her place of comfort, the familiarity, people she knew, all behind just to help her with a situation that was mostly her fault.

Mina's throat tightened up as she looked at the road before her. She started the engine again and began to drive without another word.

Ten minutes later, Nayeon's face scrunched up adorably in confusion as they arrived at Mina's house back again. The confusion slowly changed into an endearing smile when Mina threw the door open to the passenger side and held out a hand for her, "Pancakes or waffles? I am an expert in both."

A little while later, Mina rested her chin on her palm and fixed her gaze on the older girl who was shoving her face with pancakes with a doting smile on her lips. "You know my parents love you like you're their own." She breathed out, "You don't have to feel uncomfortable here. If you do, then just come to me okay?"

Nayeon tilted her head to a side, "I did. You asked me to play with Ray." The words had no bite to it, and there was the twinkle Mina had become familiar with through the years that told her she was teasing her.

"I'm sorry."

Nayeon frowned, her hair ruffling in the wind. "What for?"

"For being a horrible-" She was going to say friend but Maiko chose that exact moment to walk through the front door. "-girlfriend." She glanced at Maiko who stared at Nayeon wolfing down her food distastefully.

Mina studied Maiko with her level gaze. These stares, these looks, like Nayeon was somehow lesser than her, they had to stop.

"Your dad asked me to drop this off." Maiko specified, pointing to a suit in her hand.

"I'm going to get some more pancakes." Nayeon announced, and got off her chair. "Girlfriend!" She winked.

Mina felt her face heat up.

"She eats like a pig." Maiko's voice snapped her back to attention.

Mina pinched her noise, sighing. "She eats a little of everything." Her eyes glowed dangerously, "Besides I love her the way she is."

"I don't believe that for a second." Maiko leaned forward into her personal space, just like she always had- when they were kids. "You might fool your mum but not me."

Mina hissed, "What do you mean?" She didn't bother hiding the anger in her voice.

Maiko chuckled low, sending a low shudder through her spine. "You are both physically uncomfortable around each other. Heck I've never even seen you kiss."

"That's because we are not comfortable with showing our affection in public yet." Mina countered with lingering defensiveness.

"Really?" Maiko scoffed, "There's just me here." Nayeon bounced into the room right on time, "And your so called girlfriend is here. Go ahead, kiss her." She finished, voice thick with sarcasm and mockery.

"I-I don't have to prove myself to you." Her voice sounded unsure and hesitant even to herself.

Maiko laughed at that, "I rest my case."

Nayeon was hitting imaginary baseball balls in the air as she hopped towards her with a wide grin unaware of the situation she was walking into. Mina sighed and bit her lip.

She took a step forward and another one until she came to a stop in front of the older girl. Mina was vaguely aware of the idiot rambling about something, because her full lips were moving, but she could barely make out the things that she was saying.

Mina knew the only reason she was doing what happened next was to shut Maiko up. To prove a point to her so she'd leave her alone, she'd leave Nayeon alone.

"Minayah, lets go-"

Mina kissed her. Her eyes were closed so she didn't see the shocked dark eyes slamming shut as soon as their lips touched. She vaguely registered a hand on her waist, another on her face tickling the place where her chin met her neck. Nayeon's hand was warm- her mouth tasted like pancakes, her breath smelled like summer, sunshine and strawberries and Mina leaned forward, her brain shutting down.

A minute. Two. She wasn't sure how much time passed.

"Way to make a point." Maiko's voice snapped her out of her daze.

Mina pulled back - blinked- trying to focus on Nayeon's face instead of her mouth. She touched a finger to her own lips, as if in awe.

"I love you." Nayeon whispered, her voice hoarse, quickly catching on to the situation.

Mina wished her stomach wouldn't clench at every word that left the older girl's mouth- a very skilled mouth. She paused. She couldn't think of her friend like that.

"I love you too." Mina was aware of Maiko's eyes on them. It was why she leaned in again, she told herself, head tilting, mouths slotting together. She could feel Nayeon's heart beat frantically where her fingers laid on her chest as their lips moved against each other. She pulled back after a while barely an inch, to collect her breath.

When she opened her eyes again, Nayeon's eyes were still closed. Maiko was nowhere in sight.

"I'm sorry." She cleared her throat and took couple of steps back, "Maiko was-"

"It's fine. I kind of figured what happened." Nayeon whispered back, shaky.

"That should get her off our back." Nayeon reassured and Mina swallowed and nodded. She had just kissed her best friend until her brain went fuzzy and short circuited.

"We should get going." Mina bit the inside of her cheek and glanced at the door.

"Right." Nayeon murmured. "We should."

"Yeah!"

This was awkward because why were neither of them moving?

"So we should-" Mina tried again, her ears burned and face felt hot as she saw a ghost of a grin on Nayeon's lips.

"Get going." Nayeon repeated and the stupidly annoying grin settled back into her face, and Mina mumbled idiot under her breath. Nayeon pretended she didn't hear it.

The rest of the morning sped past them in a blur and Mina didn't spend a lot of time replaying the kiss in her mind. It was just a pretend kiss. She wasn't thinking about how her lips tingled from the kiss when she paid the dry cleaners. She wasn't thinking about how warm and soft Nayeon's mouth felt as she drove. She hadn't almost crashed the car when she remembered how the older girl had said I love you.

"Minayah." Nayeon cried, "I'm hungry." Her mouth turned down in a pout.

Mina definitely wasn't thinking of how it would be to kiss that whiny mouth again.

When Nayeon came back- her dad had dragged her to the patio after lunch- face white and hands shoved in her pocket as she sat on the bench in the garden next to her, Mina asked worriedly, "Nayeon-chan, are you alright?"

"Your dad showed me a video of a cat and its kittens." Nayeon smoothed a hair away from her face.

Mina listened, resisting the urge to smooth down the crease between the older girl's brows.

"The cat took in a puppy under her wing and raised it like her own." Nayeon kicked a pebble in the garden to a short distance, "Your dad said despite loving the puppy like her own, if it were to ever harm her kittens she'd protect her babies first."

Mina liked listening to Nayeon talk. She really did. So she had no intention of interrupting it by bursting into laughter, but it happened and Nayeon was scowling at her with her arms crossed over her chest.

"That wasn't funny." The older girl's forehead creased deeper and Mina's hands itched to rub it away. "I think he gave me a roundabout you hurt my daughter I'll hunt you down talk."

"But you have nothing to worry about." She playfully nudged Nayeon's elbow until she relented and uncrossed her arms.

Nayeon glanced up. "How?"

"Because I know you'd never hurt me." Mina felt her face burning as she admitted the truth, "Not intentionally."

"Another perfectly timed moment." Mina jumped away from Nayeon startled, "Do you have a radar or something?" Maiko guffawed.

"Do you not have a life or something?" Mina snapped.

Nayeon whistled, she didn't get to see this fierce side of Mina, not often.

"My life is right here." Maiko shrugged, pointing at Mina with her eyes.

Mina saw a smug grin grow on her face because of how taken aback she looked at the declaration she'd just made. The same smug grin which used to have her captivated once upon a time, the same grin she gave as Mina leaned in for a kiss- and then she ran away. Mina remembered.

"A bit too late for that." She retorted, "Don't you think?"

Maiko met her gaze and their eyes locked on like magnets, "Never too late for love." She glimpsed at Nayeon, "If you stopped this fake charade you could actually be on a date with me now. And don't say you don't want it. I know you Mina."

Mina felt the tip of her ears turning red. "You are delusional."

"Come find me whenever you're ready." Maiko announced and turned away from her.

A couple of seconds passed. "That was intense." Nayeon said with a serious expression on her face.

"She's always been intense." Mina sighed. Her teenage self was in love with the idea of intense, dark and mysterious. Who didn't love a bad boy when they didn't know better!

"You like intense." Mina shot up straight, Nayeon's gaze seemed to pierce right into the very core of her as their eyes met over the short distance between them.

They heard footsteps approaching the garden. From the loud, callous way it sounded they knew it was Maiko again. It was probably why Mina pulled Nayeon towards her chest, into a tender hug. "Used to." She whispered into the older girl's hair, "These days I prefer light, fun and laughter."

The footsteps retreated and instead of pulling away Mina let herself be held in those comforting arms for a while longer.

"Look at us fake hugging and shit." Mina rolled her eyes when Nayeon's loud voice cackled in her ears, way to ruin a moment. "Chaeyoung would be so proud."

Mina was aware of two things as she pulled away. One - Nayeon was definitely an idiot. Two- her heart was hammering for some weird reason.

Mina took a deep breath to calm herself down. She knew her parents meant well but she had enough of everyone acting like that Nayeon somehow didn't meet their expectations. And she was tired of Nayeon pretending that it didn't hurt her when someone implied that. Yes, Nayeon was an idiot, but she was an adorable, rambling, lovable idiot. She was her idi-

Mina shook herself, clearing her head. She probably got too immersed in her role that even in her head she was in character.

"What's wrong with whatever she's going to wear?" Mina asked carefully.

"Nothing." Her mother's eyes skittered between her daughter, husband and an adorably confused Nayeon. "You know the kind of people that come to these parties."

"Pretentious crowd that doesn't respect you if your family name isn't big." Her father pointed out.

Mina felt the nerve in her neck pop. "Nayeon-chan has made a name for herself."

Her mother looked conflicted, "They judge everyone. Even us. From the clothes we wear, from the way we talk. We don't want Nayeon-tan to go through that."

Mina snapped, "I don't care what they think. Neither should you. And Nayeon-chan is perfect the way she is. I won't have any of you say otherwise."

A silence pulled through the room. Mina had never raised her voice like that. Especially not with her parents.

"Mina." A gentle touch on her arm drew her attention. "I don't mind wearing the suit they bought."

Her father spoke up, looking apologetic, "No she's right." He admitted, "We never thought about how you might feel. We never intended to make you feel like you're less than perfect Nayeon-ta-"

Before he could finish what he can say, Nayeon walked towards him with a purposeful stride and took him in a surprise hug. "I know you meant well." Nayeon pulled away, and gasped and laughed loudly when her mother smothered her in a sudden hug from behind.

Mina shook her head and gazed at the three of them fondly. The thing about family was, arguments and miscommunications were bound to happen, but at the end of the day these smiles and happy tears were what defined them.

The music was blaring loudly from the garden. The evening sun was settling behind the clouds leaving a warm pink hue in the sky.

Mina dried her hair and got out of the shower wearing a T-shirt and shorts.

Nayeon glanced up from where she was perched on the bed and looked at her with huge round eyes.

Mina chuckled softly. "Alright, where's the tie?"

"This is why you're the best." Nayeon's face lit up in a goofy smile. She reached into her pocket to retrieve the tie and held it out for Mina to take.

Mina took a step towards Nayeon, and leaned up on her toes to knot the tie for her. She smoothed down the collar and took a step back admiring her work.

"How do I look?" Nayeon wiggled her eyebrows, her lips stretching over her bunny teeth as her smile evolved into a playful grin.

Mina's stomach turned and twisted and she had to remind herself to blink. Short hair framing her rosy face, black blazer thrown over a waistcoat that fit snugly against her slim figure, white shirt tucked into trousers that ended a little above her ankle, feet covered in black Dr. Martens, Nayeon looked -"Okay." She lied.

"Okay?" The older girl retorted, "The word you're thinking of is hot." Her mouth turned into a lopsided grin.

Mina thought that nobody should be allowed to be this narcissistic. And right. She had to force herself to look Nayeon in the eyes and not watch her mouth- which was distracting. "Now you can read minds?" She huffed.

"Sure." The annoying moron answered.

"Alright what am I thinking now?" Mina asked, playing along.

Nayeon tapped a finger to her chin, pausing in thought. "That you want to take a selfie with me now because I look hot."

Mina threw her back and laughed. "So when I didn't take it with you, you weren't hot?"

Nayeon's eyes narrowed and lower lip jutted out in a pout defeated. "You know, you really are the most horrible fake girlfriend ever."

"You've only had one." Mina responded, chuckling lowly. "Now get out so your horrible fake girlfriend can get dressed." She shoved slightly at her shoulder pushing her out the door.

When the door shut, Nayeon began to sing the lyrics to Bad Romance loudly.

"You and me could write a bad romance." She sang at the top of her lungs.

Mina shook her head in amusement, she couldn't agree more.

Nayeon waited impatiently as more guests filtered through the front door. Kids were running all around her, some of them racing up and down the stairs. She shook hands politely and made conversations with some of them Mina's parents introduced her to.

"Nayeon-tan." Mina's father frowned at the audio system, "Could you help me set this up?"

"Sure." She gave him a soft smile and began to set it up. Once it was hooked to the computer, she clicked play and bent down to plug the speaker into the power cable.

When she glanced back up, her eyes landed on Mina.

Mina was wearing a white dress, her hair gently brushed over her face as she took dainty steps down the stairs.

Mina's eyes found hers and their gaze locked on like magnets. Nayeon felt her heart skip. Every single noise in the room faded and she took a step back unconsciously stepping on the switch on the power cable.

Alicia Keys began to sing Falling. A gentle breeze flew through the room and the wind chimes began to ring softly. For a moment, Nayeon felt like she couldn't breathe. She didn't dare look away from the warm brown eyes that had her transfixed. The earth shook and everything that was so far in standstill came back to life when Mina gave her a shy smile.

Boom!

Nayeon felt herself shake a little.

"You're in love." Mina's father laughed softly next to her.

Shit! She realized. I'm in love.

Her heart swelled in its chest. She had always known there was something she felt differently towards her, and now knew what it was. This was love. She was in love with a girl who defended her passionately even to her own parents, a girl kind and caring, a girl who would leave everything behind just to make pancakes for her. And Nayeon learnt sometime later in the evening, that falling in love wasn't such a good thing like everyone made it out to be.

She stepped into the kitchen to get some drinks for a few guests, and heard Maiko tell Mina, "You're from the Myoui family. You should be with someone like me. Educated and sophisticated, and way richer."

"You're right." She heard Mina reply.

And just like that her heart shattered into a million pieces. If she'd stayed a little longer she'd have heard Mina continue, "You're educated and sophisticated and richer. But Nayeon-chan is kind, has a heart of gold and you couldn't buy that with all the money you have."

She'd have heard her defend her passionately, "And you might become the youngest billionaire when you're 30 but Nayeon-chan would still be richer than you. Because whatever money you own would be from your parents, but every single penny she owns would have been from her hard work, her blood and sweat."

But Nayeon didn't wait to hear that. And Mina didn't understand why they were arguing in their room.

"I wasn't." She yelled uncharacteristically, "Anyway it's none of your business." She was annoyed, annoyed that she had just defended the older girl with her whole heart and she was accusing her of flirting with Maiko, so the words slipped out cruelly.

Nayeon stared at her blankly, "I'm here as your pretend girlfriend. How do you think it's going to make me look if you go around whoring with others?"

The slap she received shocked them both.

Mina stared at her hand wondering what possessed her to do such a thing.

Nayeon hung her head, and even though she knew she deserved it for the words she threw, she couldn't help but spit out, "You know what? I'm done! We should just break up now so you can jump into bed with her."

Mina wiped at her tears angrily, "Fine! If that's what you want then I'll do it." She took her phone and entered a name on it.

As the dial tone began to ring in her ears, it gave her the wake up call she needed. It made her realize the only thing she needed now was Maiko to not pick up the phone.

She did. "Came to your senses I see? Lunch tomorrow?" The voice drawled. Nayeon was looking at her intensely, and Mina sobbed a yes into the receiver despite everything in herself begging her to not say the word.

That night Nayeon slept on the floor again, trying to pick up the pieces of her heart and put it back together.

Mina didn't sleep at all.

She woke up during the night and one look at Nayeon sleeping on the floor brought all the tears rushing back up.She sauntered down the stairs, and sat on the couch in the living room, her muffled sobs wrecking havoc against her chest. A gentle hand pulled her into a hug.

"Mama." She cried, falling into the woman as more torrents of grief poured down her eyes.

"I know darling." Her mother soothed, "I know."

"How?" She hiccuped, wiping a fresh set of tears away from her cheeks.

"You tell me everything." She pulled her closer to her chest and laid a kiss on her forehead, "When you said you've been seeing someone for a few months I immediately knew it was a lie."

"So why did you let me do this?" Mina asked in a broken voice, covering her eyes with her hand.

"I just," She sighed, "I thought maybe this is what you needed to see."

Mina faced forward, and looked at her mother in confusion. "To see what?"

"Why were you able to ask others for a picture easily but couldn't with Nayeon?" The question was ambiguous and Mina didn't have an easy answer to that.

"She would have teased me." That could have been the only reason, she told herself.

"Okay. But why was she the only person you wanted to take a picture with when you thought you might never see her again?" Another question that didn't make sense to Mina entirely and she was so tired of constantly trying to make sense of everything. Constantly trying to grasp at something that she was sure within her reach but didn't know where.

"You'll figure it out darling." Her mother hugged her tighter when another round of sobs assaulted her body. "You will."

Mina awoke the next morning in the guest room to the feel of someone shaking her shoulder. Her vision was blurry for a few seconds and when the sleep faded from her eyes, she was met with Maiko's concerned face.

"It's twelve in the afternoon." She pointed to the clock on the wall. "We have a date."

Mina picked herself up and rubbed her eyes. The events of last night came rushing back to her and threatened to leave her a sobbing mess again. She steadied herself with a deep breath and answered softly, "Give me ten minutes. I'll be ready."

She gingerly walked up the stairs, eyes scanning all over the house for the older girl. They'd never had an argument like this before and Mina ached all over - to see those eyes twinkle at her- to see that stupid smile on that silly face - to give her a tight hug and apologize for everything she did and said last night.

She stepped inside their shared room and found the bed empty. She felt a dread pull through. She wondered if Nayeon had hopped on the flight without telling her. Her heart clenched at the thought and her eyes welled with tears.

The bathroom door swung open, startling her. Her eyes locked onto Nayeon, and her chest ached with renewed pain when she saw how red her eyes were, like she'd been crying the whole night too.

"I came to get dressed." She said softly.

Nayeon fidgeted with the strings on her pullover before meeting her eyes again. "I thought you'd be on your date already."

Mina felt her throat close up with guilt and something else she couldn't pinpoint. "She's downstairs."

"So you're going?" There was something about the way she said those words that threw Mina off, setting her world off kilter.

"You don't want me to?" Her voice sounded so hopeful and pathetic, Mina felt like an idiot.

The older girl shrugged her shoulders, "You should do what makes you happy."

Mina laughed humourlessly. What would make her really happy now is have this awkwardness between them disappear, to have the Nayeon-chan she adored so much back in her life.

She rummaged through her belongings taking the first clothes that came to her and disappeared into the bathroom to get dressed and to hold back the tears from falling in front of the older girl.

When she got out, Nayeon was still in the same spot she'd left her, staring aimlessly at the wall.

"I'll be back before two." Her voice cracked, as she looked at the lost expression on the older girl's face.

Nayeon nodded.

Seeing she wasn't going to get anything more from her, Mina shut the door as softly as she could and went down the stairs where Maiko was waiting impatiently.

"Good to go?" Maiko asked with a smirk on her features, raking her eyes over her body.

Grey, hungry eyes so different from dark, shining, twinkling, playful eyes.

Mina stood at the bottom of the stairs staring at a spot near Maiko's head.

"Come on." Maiko demanded, "I'm hungry."

Mina felt a sharp pain shoot through her chest. Nayeon had a way of saying she was hungry that would make you want to feed her till she never got hungry again- a way that would melt anyone's heart.

"Let's go." Maiko nudged her.

Mina took a deep breath. She barely took three steps forward when she suddenly remembered something. "Give me one minute. I'll be right back." She took the stairs two steps at a time and threw the door open to her bedroom.

Nayeon looked at her and Mina wondered if she imagined the flicker of hope in her tone. "You came back!"

"I left my phone." She whispered.

She saw the lights go out in those eyes. She saw her face drop. She felt her own heart twist and her stomach churn.

"It's here." Nayeon reached for the phone on the bedside table and held it out for her- the shadows on her face soft from the sunlight pouring in through the window, her hair loose, falling over her forehead.

Mina took the couple of steps towards her as if in a daze. She picked up the phone and their fingers gently brushed against each other.

Mina's breath caught in her throat as she searched into those dark eyes that were brimming with tears.

"Thank you." She breathed out. She took the phone and gently dragged her hand out of her grasp, her gaze never leaving Nayeon. When the tip of their fingers met, Mina felt Nayeon curling her fingertips around hers, pulling her hand back into hers.

The tears in those dark eyes, shiny and wet, dripped down her cheeks and fell on top of her hand. Mina looked searchingly into Nayeon's gaze. More tears fell from those beautiful, anguished, spellbinding eyes and Mina continued to stare in awe as everything around her seemed to shake.

The world seemed to spin off axis.

Then it came to a standstill.

Mina felt a faint tremor in her heart.

Boom!

"Don't go." Nayeon's voice broke.

Mina shook her head, "God no!!" She sobbed, "I won't!" She threw herself into a hug and let more tears fall from her eyes.

"I'm so sorry!" She peppered kisses all over the taller girl's face when she pulled back, "I love you so much!" She repeated it like a prayer.

She kissed every inch of her face until the tightness in her chest began to relax. She kissed every inch until she was satisfied that she had wiped off the hurt away from the face that she loved with her whole heart.

"I'm so sorry Nayeon-chan," She kissed the corner of her mouth, the space between her eyebrows, the top of her head, over her chest, "I am an idiot. I'm really sorry!" She kissed the tear stains on her cheeks, the crease on her forehead, the outline of her jaw.

When she pulled apart- their eyes meeting and Nayeon put her hand on her chin cradling her face, gazing at her tenderly like she was the most precious thing in the world, rolling out a "I love you too!" with a teary smile- Mina pressed her mouth against her, and sighed happily when their lips slid against each other.

She was consumed by Nayeon- the way she smelled, the way she smiled against her mouth, the way her tongue slid into her mouth, pushing against her bottom lip. She slid her hand up Nayeon's arms, and looped them around her neck, deepening the kiss, never wanting this moment to end- because god her mouth was so warm, her touch tingled every where they touched and then Nayeon turned her around, pushing her against the wall and Mina bid goodbye to all her common sense.

Maiko could wait for the date that was never going to happen. She had other pressing matters to attend to, she choked back a whimper and gently shoved at Nayeon's chest, manoeuvring them both to the bed, slipping her tongue further into her mouth, and pulling her on top of her.

"I'm glad you didn't ask me to take a picture with you." Nayeon whispered, when they stopped for air.

"Why?" She whimpered, as an expert hand slid under her T-shirt stroking the sliver of skin on her midriff.

"Because now I've got you."

Mina smiled brilliantly at the girl above her and cupped her cheeks, "Okay! Now shut up and kiss me again."

Nayeon's eyes twinkled with amusement, "Gladly."

——

Six months later -

Sana sighed and threw a questioning glance at Chaeyoung, "Are you sure your training was named how to be fake girlfriends in seven days?"

Chaeyoung turned down the volume on the music system and glared at her, "Why?"

Sana stared at the closed door where soft moaning sounds were coming from.

"How to become sex-addicts in seven days would have been more appropriate."

Chaeyoung gave her the finger and turned the volume back up.


End file.
